Archive for September 2013
September 2, 2013 | 
Author More images of the Adirondack boreal…
Here is another photographic blog with miscellaneous photographs taken during August 2013, mostly in boreal habitat:
Adult Bald Eagle perched over Tupper Lake just after a non-stop attack on a Great Blue Heron. Taken on August 15, 2013.
Lovely boreal forest along the Northville-Placid Trail in Long Lake. Photographed on August 18, 2013.
Sphagnum Moss in the boreal forest along the Northville-Placid Trail in Long Lake. Photograph taken on August 18, 2013.
Juvenile Yellow-bellied Sapsucker blending in along the Northville-Placid Trail in Long Lake. Photograph taken on August 18, 2013.
A trillium gone to berry along the Northville-Placid Trail in Long Lake. Photograph taken on August 18, 2013.
Leaves begin to change color in early August in the Adirondacks. Photograph taken on August 18, 2013 at the north end of Long Lake.
Red Eft along the Northville-Placid Trail in Long Lake. Photograph taken on August 27, 2013.
Large mushroom growing in the sphagnum moss along the Northville-Placid Trail in Long Lake. Photograph taken on August 27, 2013.
A juvenile male Black-backed Woodpecker (left) begging from an adult male Black-backed Woodpecker (right) along the Northville-Placid Trail in Long Lake. Photograph taken on August 27, 2013.
Lovely boreal forest near Helldiver Pond in Moose River Plains. Photograph taken on August 29, 2013.
Mushrooms growing from sphagnum moss in the boreal forest near Helldiver Pond in Moose River Plains. Photograph taken on August 29, 2013.
Belted Kingfisher hunting over Helldiver Pond in Moose River Plains. Photograph taken on August 29, 2013 from way across the pond!
Helldiver Pond late in the day at Moose River Plains. Photograph taken on August 29, 2013.
Helldiver Pond late in the day at Moose River Plains. Photograph taken on August 29, 2013.
Helldiver Pond late in the day at Moose River Plains. Photograph taken on August 29, 2013.
Female Black-backed Woodpecker at Moose River Plains (between Helldiver Pond and Lost Ponds Trails). Photograph taken on August 29, 2013.
Spider web glowing with dew outside our Long Lake home. Photograph taken on August 30, 2013.
One of only a few Monarch Butterflies I have observed this season. Photograph taken on August 30, 2013 outside our Long Lake home.
Male Black-backed Woodpecker along the Roosevelt Truck Trail. Photograph taken on August 30, 2013.
One of many Wood Frogs along the Roosevelt Truck Trail. Photograph taken on August 30, 2013.
Can you find the Wood Frog in this photograph?! Taken on August 30, 2013.
TEN Common Loons by Round Island on Long Lake. This photograph was taken on August 30, 2013 from our dock – which was 1.5 miles from the loons! I used my iPhone connected to my Kowa scope with the Kowa adapter – what a wonderful invention!
Wildflowers of August
Here are some wildflower photographs taken in August 2013, mostly in the boreal forest:
Pickerel-weed photographed on July 30, 2013.
Dewdrop photographed on August 1, 2013.
Bottle Gentian photographed on August 15, 2013.
Indian Pipe photographed on August 15, 2013.
Turtle-heads photographed on August 18, 2013.
Turtle-heads photographed on August 18, 2013.
Touch-me-not photographed on August 18, 2013.
New York Aster photographed on August 18, 2013.
Fragrant Water-lily photographed on August 18, 2013.
Pearly Everlasting photographed on August 29, 2013.
(Alien) Helleborine Orchid photographed on August 30, 2013.
August mushrooms of the boreal forest
With a record wet late spring – early summer in the Adirondacks, it is turning out to be an excellent season for mushrooms! I have included photographs taken during August 2013 outings in the boreal forest below:
Mushroom photographed on August 1, 2013 in sphagnum moss.
Crown-tipped Coral photographed on August 18, 2013.
Spindle-shaped Coral photographed in the boreal forest on August 27, 2013.
Mushroom photographed in the boreal forest on August 27, 2013.
Mushrooms growing in sphagnum moss in the boreal forest photographed on August 30, 2013.
Mushrooms photographed on August 30, 2013.
Mushrooms photographed on August 30, 2013.
Fungus photographed on August 30, 2013.
Mushrooms photographed on August 30, 2013.
Tree covered in many species of fungus – the extensive jelly-like mushrooms at the base of the tree had an awful smell!
Another image of the smelly mushrooms on the tree taken on August 30, 2013.
Mushroom taken on August 30, 2013.
Mushrooms completely covering an old stump – photographed on August 30, 2013.
Mushrooms photographed on August 30, 2013 – lovely colors!
Red-Banded Polypore photographed on August 30, 2013.
This blog post provides a list of species from tours during July 2013. I have also included a few photos.
On a July 5, 2013 tour with a couple from New Jersey, we visited two low-elevation boreal bogs and a marsh. We found the following 66 species (including 16 warbler species with many lovely views):
Wild Turkey
Common Loon – 2 adults and 2 chicks!
Turkey Vulture
Broad-winged Hawk
Merlin
Wilson’s Snipe
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Barred Owl
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Hairy Woodpecker
Black-backed Woodpecker – family group! (Male, female, and at least one juvenile)
Northern Flicker
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
Alder Flycatcher
Least Flycatcher
Eastern Phoebe
Blue-headed Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Gray Jay – 2!
Blue Jay
American Crow
Common Raven
Tree Swallow
Barn Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
Winter Wren
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Eastern Bluebird
Veery
Swainson’s Thrush
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing
Nashville Warbler
Northern Parula
Yellow Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Pine Warbler
Palm Warbler
American Redstart
Ovenbird
Mourning Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Canada Warbler
Scarlet Tanager
Chipping Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Lincoln’s Sparrow – nice views!
Swamp Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting – nice views!
Red-winged Blackbird
Purple Finch
American Goldfinch
We also found a Coyote and a small Snapping Turtle!
Young Snapping Turtle photographed on July 5, 2013 at Massawepie Mire.
Common Loon with two chicks at Deer Pond on July 9, 2013
Common Loon on Deer Pond. Photograph taken on July 9, 2013.
Common Loon with chick photographed on July 9, 2013 on Deer Pond.
Resting Common Loon with a chick photographed on July 9, 2013 on Deer Pond.
On a June 11, 2013 tour with a birder from Connecticut, we visited both high and (briefly) low elevation boreal habitat. We found the following 44 species:
Turkey Vulture
Broad-winged Hawk
Mourning Dove
Black-backed Woodpecker – female
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
Least Flycatcher
Blue-headed Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Common Raven
Tree Swallow
Barn Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
Boreal Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
House Wren
Winter Wren
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Eastern Bluebird
Bicknell’s Thrush – nice views!
Swainson’s Thrush
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
Cedar Waxwing
Nashville Warbler
Northern Parula
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
American Redstart
Ovenbird
Mourning Warbler – nice views!
Chipping Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Indigo Bunting
Purple Finch
We also observed a young Black Bear!
Bicknell’s Thrush in the fog photographed on July 11, 2013 during a Dawn Tour up Whiteface Mountain.
Bicknell’s Thrush in the fog photographed on July 11, 2013 during a Dawn Tour up Whiteface Mountain
Bicknell’s Thrush singing in the fog – photographed on July 11, 2013 during a Dawn Tour up Whiteface Mountain
Singing male Indigo Bunting photographed on July 11, 2013.
Male Indigo Bunting photographed on July 11, 2013.
On a July 14, 2013 tour with a birder from Ithaca and a birder from Rochester, we visited both high and low elevation boreal habitat. We found the following 45 species:
American Kestrel
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
Eastern Phoebe
Blue-headed Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Common Raven
Tree Swallow
Barn Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Winter Wren
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Bicknell’s Thrush – nice views of a singing bird (a couple attached)
Swainson’s Thrush
Hermit Thrush
American Robin
Cedar Waxwing
Nashville Warbler
Northern Parula
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler – feeding young!
Ovenbird
Mourning Warbler – calling
Common Yellowthroat
Chipping Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Lincoln’s Sparrow – nice views!
Swamp Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Indigo Bunting – nice views!
Bobolink – female
Purple Finch
American Goldfinch
Bicknell’s Thrush photographed during a Dawn Tour up Whiteface Mountain on July 14, 2013. It is reminiscent of a Hudson River School painting scene!
A zoomed in photograph of the same bird – photographed on a Dawn Tour up Whiteface Mountain on July 14, 2013.
A Turkey Vulture at the top of a large dead snag, appearing like a Totem Pole!
On a July 21, 2013 tour with a couple from Elmira, NY, we visited a low-elevation boreal bog and early the next morning, we visited a boreal forest. We found the following 70 species (including 17 warbler species with many nice views):
Canada Goose
Wood Duck – family
Common Loon – 2 adults and 2 young!
Turkey Vulture
Northern Harrier
Broad-winged Hawk
Merlin
Rock Pigeon
Mourning Dove
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Alder Flycatcher
Least Flycatcher
Eastern Phoebe
Eastern Kingbird
Blue-headed Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Gray Jay – 4 (groups of 2, 1, and 1)
Blue Jay
American Crow
Common Raven
Tree Swallow
Barn Swallow
Black-capped Chickadee
Boreal Chickadee – at least 5 (groups of 2 and at least 3) – nice views!
Red-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
Winter Wren
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Veery
Swainson’s Thrush
Hermit Thrush
Wood Thrush
American Robin
European Starling
Cedar Waxwing
Nashville Warbler – nice views!
Northern Parula
Chestnut-sided Warbler – nice views!
Magnolia Warbler – nice views!
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler – nice views!
Black-throated Green Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Pine Warbler
Palm Warbler – nice views!
Black-and-white Warbler – nice views!
American Redstart
Ovenbird
Northern Waterthrush – great views!
Mourning Warbler – nice views!
Common Yellowthroat – nice views!
Canada Warbler
Scarlet Tanager
Chipping Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Lincoln’s Sparrow – nice views!
Swamp Sparrow – nice views!
White-throated Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting – nice views!
Red-winged Blackbird
Common Grackle
Purple Finch
American Goldfinch
Round-leaved Pyrola photographed on July 22, 2013.
Singing Swainson’s Thrush photographed on July 22, 2013.